Too many plans can sometimes mean nothing gets done. The image we have of our selves might not really be who we truly are. We think we are so motivated and make these huge unrealistic plans setting our selves up for failure. Stepping back and reevaluating our dreams and goals can help put things into perspective and help strip away all the things we will never actually get around to accomplishing. It is better to accomplish a few things to completion then to have an endless unrealistic dream that never actually happens.
Dreaming big is great! But you will never get anything done if all you do is make huge plans. Simplifying things and being realistic with your self and level of ambition can not only help you accomplish more. It can help you become more self aware and and to priorities. After all we each have dreams and goals. But not all of us actually take the steps required to get them from dream to reality.
With all the interesting and fun things life has to offer it can be easy to want to try it all. After all life can be short and it can fell like you might be missing out on some things. We see or hear about people that seam to be able to fit in many lives in one, (Elon Musk as an example). But most people aren’t able to actually do all that. By setting your goals too high and trying to focus on more then you can handle you may be setting your self up for frailer. And with so much on the go you may never actually finish anything. Having lots of unfinished projects isn’t going to help you feel success or fulfilment. It’s better to tackle one or maybe a couple of things at once then a huge never ending list. Starting is the easy part, finishing not so much. And the more we start things and don’t complete them the less we satisfaction we receive. We may even start to feel like we are just failing at life. Because it seams like we aren’t able to finish things and see our success. But don’t fret, we are always growing and learning. The fact that you are looking to improve is a great start. Being able to examine your life and identify the reasons we are not reaching our goals can help us actually reach them. I’ve put together some tips that may help you see areas that need addressing. They may help, or not depending on your situation. But keeping an open mind and being able to step back and take a real look at your life is a good start. Maybe you will even notice things I haven’t covered.
Make inventory of your goals
First things first, write down all the goals you are currently tackling. Having a list can make it a lot easier to understand what all you have on your plate at the moment. When we have it all in our head we cant actually see how much we might be over whelming our selves. You may be shocked to see how big your list is. This may help you see why you feel so defeated. You can’t do it all, you need to be realistic with your self. Give your self a break. You have been watching too many movies or fallowing others lives. Movies can cram lots of life into a short amount of time. But that’s not how real life works. And those people on social media that love to paint their lives as full and amazing are for the most part just showing you what they want you to see. It’s not real.
House keeping time to clean up and trim down
Now I know we tend to fall in love with our dreams. But when we have way too much to tackle those dreams can become a burden after time. Cleaning up our list can help us regain focus on the most important things. Cut out the goals you really aren’t putting any effort into. Chances are you like the dream more then the work in accomplishing it. Or find ways to get them done and out of the way by finding an other solution to finish. An example: You really would love to paint your home. But you are so busy and it’s a lot more work then you ever find the energy to muster. You can hire some one to do it. Or maybe live with it for now. Find creative ways to work with the colors on your walls. Maybe get a new bedspread and some other accessories to tie it in. Many times I have seen businesses or homes that have had wall colors or sinks and bathtubs or colors I wouldn’t chose that actually looked great with the accessories they used to work those aspects into the design. The idea is to remove as much fluff from your to do list in order to get to the important things. Keep a few important things that will make the most improvement to your live by accomplishing. You can always go back and tack on more after you have accomplished your goals on your refined list.
Set a time frame to keep your self in check
The worst part about our dreams is they tend to be open ended. That’s probably why people tend to have so many. It can be fun to say one day I’ll do this or that. But when we don’t have a time frame and set concrete plans those dreams never amount to much. Sure we may start some and dabble a bit. But that’s not going to give you results. You could talk about them here and there, put in a bit of work but never consistently. I bet in a few years you would be no further then you are at that rate. No you need to set a realistic time line for your goals. I say realistic because if you make it un achievable you will be more defeated in the end.
Schedule chunks of uninterrupted time
Now that you have figured out your main goals and a time frame, it is time to set your schedule. Just like the opened ended goals not getting you any where, not have a schedule can be bad as well. If you know you will be doing a task at this set time every day or week then it can be easier to actually do it. If it’s just left up to you to do it when you feel like it you probably wont do it. Or you will do it hear and there. Never enough to get results. Consistency is the key. It might not seam like much is happening at first. But as you track your time you will be amazed at how many times you have worked on it. And as a result you will start to see your hard work taking form. Like working out. At first you wont see much. But if you keep it up as well with the right diet in a year you will see noticeable results. Every thing big that you desire to accomplish requires you to put consistent work. It may not be fun all the time. And maybe you have a hard time sticking to things. But keep at it. Be organized and track your progress. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Progress tracking to see your success
When we keep a visual record of our progress it can be very helpful when lookin back. Each day will add up and what started as a week of consistency will soon be a month. Then six months, and a year. That time will pass regardless of what weather or not you are working on your goals. So why not make the most of that time. You can use calendar trackers to tick off the days you have worked on your goals. Charts to see your progress and journals to note your thoughts along the journey. There are many apps you can set up to track your progress and ones to help keep you on track. Depending on your likes I’m sure you will find one that works for your needs.